Livingston woman found dead in water-filled car

Published 6:30 am, Wednesday, November 12, 2008

An 81-year-old woman from Livingston was found dead inside her car that had filled with water after sliding into a roadside ditch along U.S. 59 in Cleveland.

Justice of the Peace Peggy Dunn pronounced the woman dead at 9:02 a.m. Wednesday and ordered an autopsy.

"A wrecker driver told me that the water was three inches from the car's ceiling. She had no visible injuries from the wreck," she said. "But we cannot say if she drowned, had a heart attack or what, yet."

Investigators are contacting next of kin before releasing the name that appeared on the woman's driver's license.